I feel most strongly that Elisabeth Butler-Sloss is the wrong person to be heading the overarching inquiry into child sexual abuse. I accept that she is an honourable and competent judge, but she must not head this inquiry for the following reasons:
1. She headed the Cleveland Inquiry, which was flawed in being more concerned with procedure than the impact on victims, and she was unduly impressed with one “expert” witness, Ralph Underwager, who later said that child sexual abuse was God’s will.
2. Her inquiry into two Anglican priests was unduly lenient on one of them, and she refused to “give the Press a Bishop” (Peter Ball, Bishop of Gloucester)
3. She believes that rulers should have “sovereign immunity”.
4. Her brother Robert Michael Havers QC was an MI6 insider who was involved in burying the dossier of Geoffrey Dickens MP, and helped to stop the Elm Guest House investigation. As Attorney General Havers decided not to prosecute Sir Peter Hayman and Geoffrey Prime. Havers is also directly implicated in the evidence of Anthony Gilberthorpe as attending a child sex party. It is ridiculous to suppose that Lady Butler-Sloss could investigate her brother’s record dispassionately.

5. She was responsible for a ruling which prevented warnings being issued about dangerous paedophiles.

6. She is 80, and while her mind may (or may not) be sharp now, the inquiry may continue for many years.

It is very clear therefore that she must step down as leader of this inquiry. Even if there are those in Cabinet who would wish to cling on to her, the public perception is that this is just another Establishment stitch-up, and that alone is enough to render her inquiry a waste of public money – not to mention an even lower public esteem of Parliament. I trust that you will use your influence to bring about her removal.